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Syria 1

Syria is one of my two MFCs (Most Favourite Countries). I have been there now three or four times and I can honestly say that the only thing that got on my nerves is the fact that you need a visa which is not that easy to get. However, once in Syria, it's all bliss: the Arab culture, the mouthwatering food, the overwhelming friendliness of the people, the sound of the muezzin calling to prayer in the early mornings…

This and the following pictures were taken in the ruins of Palmyra, about 210km east of Damascus.

Palmyrean ruins are a curious mixture of Greek and Roman elements; they date mostly from around 100 to 200 AD. This is a sarcophagus from the local museum.

The famous central four-by-four where the two main city avenues intersect(ed).

The foreground shows (a small) part of the main ruins; to the left is the aforementioned ensemble of 16 columns. In the background is the oasis of Tadmor (the dusty town that sprung up near the ruins) with its palm groves.

Part of a temple. The greenery suggests water but Palmyra itself is completely dry… engulfed by the desert on three sides.

This is a view of the main temple. The shade given by the columns is a very good thing in high summer: during our first visit (September 2001) we literally dragged ourselves from column to column to avoid the burning sun.